On May 29, 2025, at the Abbotsford Centre, the Abbotsford Canucks defeated the Texas Stars 3–2 in overtime to start their first-ever Calder Cup Western Conference Final appearance. At 5:51 into overtime, Christian Wolanin scored the game-winning goal to electrify the home fans and give the Canucks a 1-0 series lead. 

A Historic Milestone for Abbotsford

The Abbotsford Canucks are going on their deepest playoff run ever with this game. The Canucks progressed to the Western Conference Finals to play the Texas Stars after defeating the Colorado Eagles 5–0 in Game 5 of the Pacific Division Finals. The squad went from being a mid-pack Pacific Division team to a strong Calder Cup contender due to their late-season surge, which was capped off with a 13-game winning streak. 

Game 1 Recap: A Back-and-Forth Battle

Kole Lind’s goal at 8:58 gave the Texas Stars the lead in the first period. But late in the half, with help from Linus Karlsson and Ty Mueller, Guillaume Brisebois equalized for Abbotsford at 18:56.

Ty Mueller’s goal at 6:32 in the second period gave Abbotsford a 2-1 lead, giving the Canucks a boost in momentum. Unfazed, Antonio Stranges gave the Stars a goal at 12:10 to tie the game. An heated overtime was set up after the third session ended without a goal.

With help from Nate Smith and Jujhar Khaira, Christian Wolanin scored the game-winning goal at 5:51 in the extra session, making him the hero. This concluded an exciting match and was Wolanin’s first goal of the playoffs. 

Goaltending Excellence

In Game 1, Artūrs Šilovs stopped 36 of 38 shots he faced, continuing his incredible postseason play. Abbotsford’s playoff success has been greatly aided by his poise and dexterity in goal. With five shutouts, a 1.61 goals-against average, a.941 save percentage, and a 10–3 record, Šilovs leads all goaltenders in the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Abbotsford changed the course in overtime. Wolanin collected a loose puck while tied up in the right circle and promptly made a wind-up slap shot from the left point. At 2:17 of overtime, the soaring shot hit the top-corner behind Silovs after clipping off a Stars stick despite the crowd in front. 

Overtime Thriller: Wolanin’s Game-Winner

Abbotsford changed the course in overtime. Wolanin collected a loose puck while tied up in the right circle and promptly made a wind-up slap shot from the left point. At 2:17 of overtime, the soaring shot hit the top-corner behind Silovs after clipping off a Stars stick despite the crowd in front. 

Pandemonium erupted. Teammates mobbed Wolanin as he sprinted down the ice. Fans flooded the glass to celebrate their hero, who whispered postgame, “It wasn’t pretty, but I’ll take it. We worked our tails off down the stretch, and every guy gave everything tonight.”

Looking Ahead

The Canucks want to keep up their momentum on the road when the series moves to Cedar Park, Texas, for Games 3 and 4. At 8:00 PM EDT on Monday, June 2, Game 3 will take place. Abbotsford will need to maintain their remarkable goaltending, strong defense, and balanced scoring as the series goes on in order to extend their historic playoff run.

In addition to giving the Canucks a significant series lead, the victory in Game 1 highlights their tenacity and will. Abbotsford’s combination of youthful enthusiasm and seasoned leadership makes them a dangerous opponent in the Western Conference Finals as they pursue the Calder Cup.